What web browser
would you recommend I use to connect to Blackboard?
Minimally, you should use Internet Explorer 4.x (or later) or Netscape
Navigator 4.x (or later), with Java, Javascript,
and cookies enabled. Only IE and Navigator are supported for use with
Blackboard.

If you are an AOL
subscriber and use the AOL client software, we strongly encourage you to use
IE or Navigator instead of the AOL web browser, which has been known to cause
difficulties in communicating with Bb. For more information on how to
use AOL with Blackboard, visit: http://www.stlcc.edu/distance/blackboard/text/aol_browser.html.

I can’t connect to
the Bb server. What’s wrong?
If you attempt to connect your web browser to Bb and you receive a message
stating site unknown, cannot find server, unable to locate the server or
something similar, there are a few things you can check before reporting a
problem:

If you are connecting from
off-campus (such as at home), there may be a network problem between you
and the Bb server.

If you are able to log in
to and view another site on the college's server, then the Bb server may
be temporarily unavailable. Try dialing again later or contact the help
desk at (314) 539-5458 and report the problem.

If you are using an ISP
(Internet Service Provider) such as AOL, or Charter Communications, try
accessing another site such as http://www.pbs.org/,
if you can't access this site, then the problem is with your ISP and you
may need to contact them for help.

When
I attempt to connect to Bb, I get a message stating “Browser Cookies Disabled”.
What should I do?
"Cookies" are special files that Bb places on your computer to keep
track of your current session after you login, and they are crucial to the
proper operation of Bb. Please follow the instruction for enabling cookies in
your browser at http://www.stlcc.edu/mc/services/cstl/student/browser.htm

When
I click on the Link to File, I don't get anything?
Two things could be happening. First, your connection may have bumped you
off, especially if you spent some time reading content from the site--the ISP
sometimes thinks you are not doing anything and then disconnects you. Second,
the BB (Blackboard) server may be bogged down. During high use times such as
M-F 10:00-2:00, many people are using the server.

When I do access the
site, I don't get the entire document, I must scroll
horizontally to read everything. What is up with that?This is a Windows/Mac
question rather than a Blackboard one. Although we can't tell you what to do
specifically because we don't know what version of Windows/Mac OS is running,
go to the settings/display options of Windows or the control panels/monitor
options for the Mac. Set the monitor to a screen resolution where you can
read the site in its entirety. This may take some playing around, but you should
be able to set the resolution to suit your monitor and the Web site.

I was in the middle
of taking a quiz and was bumped off by my ISP. What can I do now? If you have
attempted the quiz but either ran out of time or you were bumped off, you may
not be able to complete the exam right away. Contact your instructor right
away to reset your attempt.

Why is it taking so
long for the site to come up?This depends on
a number of things, but is probably related to your ISP server speed. Your instructor
could also have a number of unusually large images and sound which will
increase the download time. Additionally, during peak SLCC times the server
may be slow.

What is the
difference between e-mail and the discussion board? When I respond to students
in the discussion board do they get an e-mail?E-mail and the
discussion board are two separate things. The main difference is that you do
not need e-mail to use the discussion board. When you click on discussion
board you are able to read comments posted by students responding to other
students. When you reply to someone, your reply becomes posted on the
discussion board for everyone to read. It is like reading conversations
between students. For more information on e-mail, go to "How
does e-mail work in Blackboard"?

How do you know when
I submitted my assignment, and if I submitted it on time?Instructors are
able to view many things when you have logged in to Blackboard. If you submit
assignments through the Digital Dropbox or as an
email attachment, the instructor will be able to see the date and time of
your submission. Likewise, if your assignment was to post on the Discussion
Board, the instructor will also be able to see that because Blackboard logs
the date and time of all submissions. When you access your online gradebook, you will be able to see the date and time your
assignments were submitted.

Can the instructor
tell how many times I access the site? Yes,
instructors are able to view the course statistics of individual users.

Where can I learn
more about the features in Bb?
You can find full documentation on Bb in the online Blackboard Student Manual.